I began reading this book as a person with a passing interest in the Sasquatch legend, and finished it pretty much convinced in the reality of an elusive, large primate living in the remote North American wilderness. The arguments and evidence are presented in an accessible but concise and scientific manner. As someone with a scientific background, it was refreshing to read. This book is the antithesis of the pseudoscientific and paranormal garbage that characterizes a lot of other Sasquatch related 'research' and literature. Through thorough and thoughtful discussion of footprints, video footage, and other evidence, Dr. Krantz builds a convincing case for the Sasquatch's existence, and dispenses with the oft-asked question: Why hasn't a body or skeleton been found?Particularly strengthening the author's credibility in my eyes, he scrupulously separates the hard evidence from the circumstantial. Trails of footprints and video footage are considered in great detail, while intriguing but inconclusive evidence such as sound recordings, smells, and broken branches are acknowledged and briefly discussed, but left out of the body of the argument. As suggestive to the imagination as these circumstantial clues may be, they enter the realm of speculation, and their inclusion would serve to weaken what is already a very strong case. The Sasquatch appears to be a real animal in the odd situation of having been tainted in the eyes of the scientific establishment by a historical association with the paranormal and it's accompanying 'Lunatic Fringe'. Indeed Dr. Krantz's frustration in being a lone scientific pioneer in an area ignored by mainstream science, and therefore colonized by crackpots, is sometimes evident. Nevertheless, this book is a brave and excellent step in dragging Sasquatch research out of the swamp of disrepute and into a realm of legitimate scientific study. I can only hope others in his field will follow, perhaps starting by reading this book!
From the Back Cover
A scientific look at the evidence surrounding the myth of the legendary beast. Science requires solid evidence for the existence of a new species - footprints and sightings by local people are never enough. A type specimen must be obtained, which is then described in a scientific journal and continues to be available for theory experts to examine. For modern mammals this normally consists of a skin and skull that show distinctions from all similar specimens. In his book, Dr. Krantz dissects the evidence out there, using 1965 as the starting point. Using science, his discussions center on footprints, sitings, fossil records, and of course the famous Patterson film. He looks at the difficulty in faking evidence, and explores the mythology of this creature.
About the Author
Dr. Krantz is a professor of anthropology at Washington State University. He has both an academic and personal interest in sasquatch research and has done serious work on the creature since 1963.
